This annual series of four lectures on Wednesday evenings in April showcases the spectrum of university research and performance. Masterminds is sponsored by the UVic Retirees Association and the Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health, with support from the University of Victoria.
Registration is now open for this year’s Masterminds lecture series, presented via Zoom. Please register at https://tinyurl.com/Masterminds2022
Masterminds 2022 schedule:
April 6, 2022 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM via Zoom
Challenges and opportunities in community conservation: reflections from the tropics
Speaker: Philip Dearden, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography
Community-based conservation offers great opportunities for not only countering biodiversity loss but also helping improve rural community living standards and sustainability. This presentation weaves a narrative of field case studies from SE Asia that illustrate some of the challenges and opportunities of community based conservation.
April 13, 2022 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM via Zoom
Grammar and Placenames: A Settler Linguist in Indigenous Language Revitalization
Speaker: Leslie Saxon, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Linguistics
Linguists can contribute to Indigenous language revitalization in a variety of ways, whether as “insider” linguists working in their own communities or as “outsider” linguists. In this talk, Leslie Saxon describes some research she has participated in with Indigenous communities of the NWT and reflects on how it relates to language revitalization done within communities.
April 20, 2022 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM via Zoom
Boosting and maintaining brain power as we age may be as easy as a walk in the park or riding a bike!
Speaker: David Docherty, PhD, Professor Emeritus, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education
There has been a considerable amount of research in the last 10 years that has clearly demonstrated a direct link between physical activity and maintaining cognitive function and retaining memory as we age. Many studies suggest physical activity may delay or alleviate some the memory loss associated with aging, including dementia. This presentation will cover how physical activity maintains brain power as we age and the amount and type of physical activity that has been found to be effective.
April 27, 2022 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM via Zoom
The unstoppable rise of Artificial Intelligence: Should we be worried?
Speaker: Hugh Cartwright, Retired, University of Victoria & Oxford University Chemistry Departments
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now widespread in industry and the media, though users are often unaware it is being employed. This non-technical talk will outline how AI works, and consider why an understanding of what lies behind AI decision-making is crucial. It will also discuss whether the development of AI could be a step towards conscious machines.